Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Mar 31: Enrolment across Government-run colleges in Jammu and Kashmir has shown uneven trends over the past two academic years, with official data revealing both declines in several institutions and signs of recovery following recent policy interventions.
The figures, presented by the government in response to a question by MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri in the legislative assembly, show that 143 Government Degree Colleges and engineering institutions are currently operational across the Union Territory.
The data indicate fluctuations across districts, with some colleges reporting increases while others recorded notable declines. In Srinagar, Amar Singh College saw enrolment rise from 941 to 960 students, while Government College for Women, M.A. Road registered a drop from 551 to 496. Sri Pratap College remained relatively stable with around 1,000 students, and Islamia College of Science and Commerce continued to maintain enrolment above that mark.
In south Kashmir, institutions such as GDC Shopian and GDC Zainapora recorded enrolments in the range of 200 to 300 students with marginal variation, while colleges in Pulwama district showed mixed trends. The government acknowledged a decline in enrolment at GDC Bijbehara over the past two years, reflecting a broader pattern seen across multiple institutions.
In north Kashmir, colleges in Kupwara district such as GDC Handwara and GDC Sogam reported enrolments ranging between 100 and 300 students, while institutions in Baramulla district, including GDC Sopore and GDC Pattan, recorded relatively higher figures, in some cases exceeding 300 students. In the Jammu division, larger colleges such as GGM Science College Jammu and Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar reported significantly higher enrolments, in some cases exceeding 1,400 students, whereas smaller colleges in districts like Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban continued to report low student numbers, often below 200.
The data also highlight stark disparities, with at least two colleges – Government Degree College Baghi Dilawar Khan and GDC Chattisinghpora – currently reporting zero enrollment. According to the government, these institutions failed to attract sufficient admissions to sustain academic activity. While Chattisinghpora has two non-teaching staff members posted for maintenance of prefabricated infrastructure, no staff is currently posted at Baghi Dilawar Khan, and both colleges are being overseen administratively by other institutions.
The government attributed the broader decline in enrolment in recent years to changing student preferences, demographic shifts and accessibility to nearby colleges, but said corrective measures have been introduced to address the issue. These include the introduction of a centralised admission portal, rationalisation of subject offerings and the implementation of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme. Officials said these steps have already begun to yield results, with overall enrolment improving in the 2025-26 academic session. Colleges in Anantnag district, in particular, recorded an increase of about 11.8%, indicating a reversal of the declining trend.
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